Lashings of Lara

The second Test between Zimbabwe and the West Indies was a story of one player….. one sensational player.

It was Brian Charles Lara who thrilled us all with an innings of sublime quality. He has obviously realized that his personal performance is central to the endeavours of his team. His 191 runs at about a run a ball was a treat to watch and enabled the visitors to score at a remarkable first innings run rate of 4.5 to the over, which equates to Test batting at it’s best.

Any of South Africa’s frontline attack witnessing the carnage would have shuddered at the punishment he dealt the hapless Zimbabweans and immediately would have thought of the upcoming series against the boys from the Caribbean. With other key West Indian batsmen currently experiencing a slump in form, the Windies tour of South Africa is shaping up more and more as a straight shootout between the home team’s best bowlers and the mercurial Lara. A teaser to whet anyone’s appetite.

His batting was exemplary.

I cannot say the same about his captaincy. This is an area that Graeme Smith can certainly exploit.

In all my years of involvement in high-level cricket, I have never seen such bizarre field placings that often defied logic. At times there appeared to be no specific plan when bowling to a particular batsman and that must have left his bowlers confused. This strange strategy along with his constant change of thought process, which always prompted lengthy mid-over consultation with his weaponry, is something that Brian must address.

This criticism of Lara’s captaincy may seem a little harsh when the Windies have just won the second Test comprehensively and therefore the series but it will not have gone unnoticed by Smith, Simons and company.

Test cricket is tough and any weakness is cruelly exposed….but the little genius left hander will have the last laugh with willow in hand.